Polarities
by ulquiorrii
Summary: Ephemeral moments captured in words. 31 drabbles. AtobeXOC. Summary sucks big time.
1. Abstract

1. Valentine's Day

His desk was filled with colorful heart-shaped boxes that morning. _What else should be expected?_ She was the only one who did not give him chocolates, though. For some reason, all the other boxes seemed insignificant to him.

2. Rare

Atobe's handwriting is neat and superfluous, compared to hers. He couldn't help but stare at her smiling face when she compared their papers, as if enjoying some sort of a private joke.

3. Butterflies

It annoyed him to no end that her smile would have such an effect on him.

4. Information

"Your number."

"What?"

"I need it."

"Why?"

Atobe blinked but did not shift his gaze, "As president of this class, I should only get everyone's contact number so I could easily contact you all."

She shrugs and scribbles on her notepad. "That's pretty helpful," she said. "I should tell you though that I don't usually tend to my phone, so it's pretty useless to me."

5. Mystery

She often comes late every morning. Soon enough, the teachers and their classmates had gotten pretty used to it. Strangely though, she'd always enter through the backdoor and with her head bent, shielding her face with her long, dark hair.

6. Lies

"Where did you get that bruise?"

"I slipped and fell down the stairs."

"Really?"

"Why'd you ask?"

Atobe averted his gaze. "Just curious."

7. Oddity

Oftentimes, his teammates found it odd that their normally strict captain was becoming, let's say, kinder than usual. Oshitari and the others couldn't help but wonder why.

"There must be a girl," they all agreed eventually.

8. Different

"I heard it's your birthday," she said as she offered him an ice cream.

Atobe just looked at her warily.

"Hurry up, before it melts all over my hand."

9. Friends

It always makes him wonder why he doesn't see her hanging out with anyone.

10. Pain

They met in the school infirmary; sitting opposite each other, both waiting for their names to be called. She was delirious from pain; he was too exhausted to care.

11. Stranger

"You're a strange one," she said casually.

Atobe didn't seem to hear her right. "Excuse me?"

"You actually listen whenever I talk," she said, her eyes a thousand miles away. "It's weird. Most people don't."

12. Front

_Maybe, you're just scared because for once, somebody actually wants to be with you.*_ He'd always wanted to tell her that.

13. Losing Track

He didn't realize he was spending more time with her than necessary.

14. Stronghold

It's always been a wonder to him how someone could hold up such strong defenses.

15. Intense

She's the only one who looks at him straight in the eye when talking—and do not get lost in them. He can't remember when she'd made it a staring contest.

16. More Lies

"Why would I need friends? I'm happy just the way it is."

The shift in her gaze almost went unnoticed.

17. Pride

It took him a huge amount of courage just to let those words out of his mouth.

"You're not serious, are you?"

"I am." He sighed and leaned on the wall. "Go out with me."

18. Possession

For someone so ordinary, why does it seem so difficult for him to get her?

19. Motives

"Why do you always question other people's motives?" He almost regretted the harshness in his voice.

"It's hard to trust people these days," her voice was flat and unwavering. "You can't even trust your own parents."

20. Discovery

Her idea of a perfect date: Going around the amusement park the whole day and going through different rides while munching on cotton candy. He was more amused than surprised.

21. Link

He'd know if something's bothering her: he just needs to look into her eyes. He might get lost in them for a while, though, but he'd manage.

22. Parents

"Don't you want to introduce me to them?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because they're dead."

"They can't be dead. You were with them during the homeroom meeting last year."

"But sometimes, I wish they were." She said it almost to herself.

23. Occupied

He doesn't see her being quiet at most times as boring. He'd always find something interesting about her; may it be her long, wavy hair, or just some random memory that includes them being together.

24. Presents

She thinks flowers are over-rated. He gives her his time, instead.

25. Knowing What's Best

Her mom was kind enough to take her to the hospital when she got sick. Atobe was enraged it took her that long.

26. First

"May I ask what your relationship is to the patient, sir?"

"She's my girlfriend."

27. Request

"If it's alright with you, can you stay with me just for the night?" her voice was hoarse and weak.

"You didn't have to ask, you know," he whispered.

28. Recovery

The nightmares became a lot more infrequent as the days went by.

29. Apparent

"Are you sure these flowers are all mine?"

"Of course, you silly girl. So many people have been missing you already."

30. Promise

"I swear, if you don't take care of yourself next time, I'd be the one to kill you."

31. Lost

"Do you know that I often get lost in your eyes?" she asked.

He turned and managed to get her to face him, "Oh, really?"

"Yes. I'm just good at hiding it."

*I just got this line from tumblr. I actually forgot the source, but if you know from whom/where it's from, please don't hesitate to tell me so! I'd really appreciate it. =)


	2. Flashbacks

Flashbacks

1. Pretentious

She slumped down on her desk, not for the first time that morning. He saw her clutching her head; her hair forming a dark cascade obscuring her face.

"You better go to the infirmary soon if you want to get better." He tried hard enough to hide the concern in his voice.

There was a sudden twitch; her grip tightened. "I'm fine," was the muffled reply.

2. Proximity

On several occasions, he'd catch her looking out of the window, getting lost in the clouds. He'd always wonder what was going on in that head of hers.

3. Ways

"Hello?"

"Hi. This is Atobe. I just need to inform you about our class' plans for the upcoming school festival."

There was a long pause at the other end of the line. "How did you get my number?"

"Oh, I have my ways. And you said you tend to ignore your phone, remember?"

She could almost see the smirk on his face.

4. Inexplicable

For some reason, he had started looking forward to class every day.

5. Literature

Her stories do not include princes or happy endings. Their teacher said they were disturbing. The last one drove him nuts.

6. Shallow

The very first time he saw her laugh was when their Math teacher cracked a joke in front of the whole class and nobody else besides her laughed.

7. Sneaky

"She's pretty," Oshitari remarked upon realizing who his captain was looking at.

Atobe's wary glance almost went unnoticed.

"Shut up."

8. Twin

He saw her in the supermarket once, wearing a well-fitting floral dress and with her hair braided on one side. He couldn't help but be struck by the difference.

9. Voice

His calls became more and more frequent. More works, he said.

10. Numb

By the year has ended, his teammates already knew who she was. He didn't get why they had to be so enthusiastic about it, though.

11. Obscurity

He didn't need to use his Insight on her to know that she's scared.

12. Bruises

"You could have them arrested, you know."

Her look was hard. "It's none of your business."

13. Mission

She said she will not go to the prom because she didn't have a partner. He swore to himself he'd do anything to make her go.

But then again, why did he even care?

14. Insidious

He started noticing the little details: the tiny mole above her lips, the delicate arch of her neck, her long, slender fingers, the way her hair would hang on her shoulders in a carefree manner, the fine lines of her collar bone—until such a point in which he'd have to stop himself from going further.

15. Secret

All the other boys made her laugh. Yet, for some reason, he knew she was faking it.

16. Specimen

"I wonder what sort of problems rich guys like you have..." she said after he'd caught her staring at him once.

For a moment, he was afraid she might find out, just by looking into his eyes.

_Besides tennis, of course_, she added, almost as if an afterthought.

17. Glued

He couldn't help but stare at her the whole night. Why did she have to be so dashing in her dress?

18. Wonder

"I don't know how to dance," she said.

"You don't have to. I can teach you how." He didn't understand why he had to try so hard.

She just sighed but then eventually gave in. For once, she couldn't look at him straight in the eye.

19. Deprived

If only nobody else asked her, he could've danced with her the whole night.

20. Epiphany

"Goodnight," she said right before giving him one of her rare, genuine smiles.

He knew right then that he was in love.


	3. They Both Like Weezer

**1. Knowing**

She remembered seeing him on the first day of school, walking past the corridors with all his glory. She cringed at the other girls' reaction.

They're all just the same.

**2. Good Enough**

She tried to listen intently as some guy cracked a joke or two. She faked a smile because that's what she did best. Because she could fool everyone.

Well, almost.

**3. Letdown**

"Are you all right?" were the first words he said to her.

Of course he's being nice. He is the class president. And if that's not enough, he _is _Atobe Keigo. For a moment, she forgot about her terrible headache, and instead, stared at his steady, gray eyes.

And then reality hits her hard in the head. Literally.

"I'm fine," she grumbled.

**4. No Shit**

On the 17th of August, he spoke to her again. She was staring out of the window so intently; so fixated at the droplets of water trickling down the glass, that she hardly noticed his presence.

"It's raining."

His deep voice was so soft he almost said it to himself. She caught a brief, almost imperceptible smile on his face, though, when they turned to look at each other.

In an instant, it was gone, and he was Atobe Keigo once again.

**5. Fandom**

"So you listen to Weezer, too?" she asked, her attention finally on him.

"A few songs, actually. I quite liked them." His smile was genuine. Charming.

"Oh, I have their CDs. I can lend you them, if you want. There's even this—"

She forgot how she ended up fangirling in front of him. He was smiling the whole while, though.

**6. Receiving End**

He often always ignored her, but when he did pay attention, he was different. Even his smile was different.

At least, she liked to think so.

**7. Masochist**

Every night she'd count the bruises on her skin and marveled at how stark and crisp they were in contrast to her pale, almost-sickly skin.

She almost thought they were beautiful.

**8. Close-Reading**

"Are you happy?" He asked her suddenly; his gaze hard and penetrating, as if his eyes alone could see right through her.

For a brief moment, she didn't know what else to say. "What do you mean?" her voice was almost a whisper.

Then he broke the trance with an innocent smile. "Oh, I mean about the class' decision for the play. I wanted to make sure everybody's happy about it."

She just blinked and nodded her head absent-mindedly.

**9. It's No Fun**

At school, she has nosy, stuck-up and apathetic classmates. At home, she has—

She stops herself.

_What do I have?_ She thought as she frowned on the supposed-to-be reflection paper right in front of her.

**10. Instinctive**

"Happy birthday."

She saw him perk up at her sudden greeting. All of a sudden, she was out of words and didn't know what to do. "I heard it's your birthday today…" she said, and before she knew it, she was handing him the ice cream she had just bought.

"Hurry up, before it melts all over my hand."

**11. Private**

That confidence, it was getting on her nerve. Yet, she found a certain pleasure being at the receiving end of his rare, subtle smiles.

Or, perhaps it's just because nobody else really looked at her.

**12. Like Kindergarten Textbooks**

"How could you say I'm in love with somebody else?" she said, her condescending voice rising to that of bitterness and anger.

A random guy, who also happened to be her date, smiled softly and took no offense from her tone.

"If you aren't, you wouldn't look so lonely."

**13. Irrelevant**

She washed her face in front of the mirror and looked at herself; at her blank eyes, scarred cheek and flawed skin. She couldn't recognize herself anymore. But she felt as if that was the least of her problems.

She cursed at her reflection. How come people said that being in love is the happiest feeling on earth?

**14. Scratching the Surface (only)**

She was slowly breaking down, but she's not one to show it to other people. She had always prided herself on being the calm one.

**15. The Dark I Know Well**

"Was that a boy?"

She shuddered at the voice of the owner of the house. Her mother.

"Yes. It was only our class president instructing me on what to do for the upcoming festival."

It was true, but for some reason, she felt as if she were lying.

**16. Creep**

No matter how hard she kept distance from him, in one way or another, he'd always be there. Both metaphorically and literally.

**17. What's Underneath**

"You're scared."

They were standing alone by the door, both waiting for the rain to subside. It wasn't a question seeking her affirmation. Nor was it even relevant. It was said out of the blue that she wasn't even sure if she heard him right.

"Scared of what?" she was surprised by the strain on her voice.

His eyes look different, she thought as he stared back at her, like they were the only people in the world. "I don't know. But I'm sure you are."

**18. A New Day**

For once, returning someone's smiles didn't seem tiring for her. In fact, she started looking forward to seeing it every day. She started looking forward to seeing_ him._

**19. Diversion**

She flicks the rubber band on her wrist out of impulse, as another memory shoots its way to her head. It's safer that way, they said.

He stared at her reddening wrist for a second and took hold of it all of a sudden. "Stop that."

She looked at him, surprised. "Oh," she shifted her hand. "It's nothing. It's supposed to help me."

**20. And When the Sun Rises**

"Why are you doing this?" There was a sign of resignation in her voice.

He returned her blank gaze with an indignant one, but his voice was soft. "Don't punish yourself."

Her eyes hardened, yet the sadness was still there. "Don't waste your time any longer…"

**21. Born to Die**

He hugged her tight. He hugged her like he had never done before.

She clutched on his shirt and buried herself deeper into his chest. She almost couldn't breathe. It was fine though, she thought as she closed her eyes.

_If I were to die, I'd like it to be this way._

**22. Crappy Metaphors**

"You know you're in love when you can't sleep at night, because for once—"

"Ah, that's old," he said to her.

"Okay, well let me hear it from you."

"You know you're in love," he started, his eyes soft and his gaze steady. "Nah, I don't know. I just know that I'm in love with you. Even the world's greatest poets can never express my feelings."

She smiled and punched him lightly. "Now where did you pick that up?"

**23. All Along**

"But I thought you also liked listening to Weezer?" she exclaimed and stared at him quizzically.

For a moment, he froze, and uncharacteristically frowned, searching for words. Then he shrugged, sheepish.

"I had to say something." He smiled. "I had to find a way to get you to talk to me."


End file.
